We had had a narrow escape.
In an hour we had all that was worth taking ashore saved. The
chests of arms, and those of the bales which the sea had not
reached, and the chest of silver, were all on the beach, and we got
the larger of the two boats over the side, and ran her up into
safety, with her fittings. And then, for there was yet time, Dalfin
would have us save the wonderful carved wagon which was on the deck
unhurt, and that, too, we took ashore, and with it some of the
casks of food stores which had been so lavishly stored for that
strange voyage. We should not burden the good brothers with this to
help feed us.
For the sea was coming in more heavily still as it gathered weight
with the long gale, which was still blowing hard. It was more than
likely that the ship would go to pieces in the night as the tide
rose again. Now and then the rain squalls came up and drenched us,
and passed; but the brothers cared as little for them as did we,
and enjoyed the unusual work more. It was a wonder to them to see
their young prince working as hard as themselves as we carried the
heavy things up the beach.
"It is a matter which I have learned while on my travels," he said,
when Fergus said somewhat of the sort to him gently. "I have seen
these two friends, who are nobles in their own lands, work as hard
at oar and rope's end as they would at fighting.
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